Films & Schedules
- LOUDER THAN A BOMB

LOUDER THAN A BOMB

DIRECTOR: Greg Jacobs, Jon Siskel - UNITED STATES

Chicago’s “Louder than a Bomb” (LTAB) draws more than 600 high school students from 60 schools from all over the city’s diverse neighborhoods to compete in what is now the largest youth poetry slam competition in the world. Rather than emphasizing individual performances, however, LTAB is unique in judging teams, not individuals, forcing participants to work collaboratively with their peers. For many kids, being a part of such an environment is life-changing. In the tradition of Spellbound and Wordplay, this irresistibly gripping film gives us an inside look at four teams (and their star “slammers”) as they compete for the top prize. But behind the engrossing competitive fervor lies the film’s true spirit: a warm celebration of a group of talented young poets finding their voice as they pour their angst, frustrations, hopes, and insecurities out through raw, unfiltered words. (99 mins.)